U.S. patent application number 17/064437 was filed with the patent office on 2021-04-08 for grain trailer.
The applicant listed for this patent is Bryan S. Brodeur, Kelly L. Menz, James R. Schindler. Invention is credited to Bryan S. Brodeur, Kelly L. Menz, James R. Schindler.
Application Number | 20210101515 17/064437 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005189940 |
Filed Date | 2021-04-08 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20210101515 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Menz; Kelly L. ; et
al. |
April 8, 2021 |
GRAIN TRAILER
Abstract
A semi-trailer for use in hauling grain has four sides and two
sloped cargo areas, each having a hopper funnel made of a
continuous, unitary polymer material. A door below each hopper is
driven by a linear actuator that is disposed above the level of the
door. The trailer sidewalls are made of a composite material having
inner and outer panels attached to a center panel by adhesive.
Inventors: |
Menz; Kelly L.; (Horace,
ND) ; Schindler; James R.; (Yankton, SD) ;
Brodeur; Bryan S.; (Yankton, SD) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Menz; Kelly L.
Schindler; James R.
Brodeur; Bryan S. |
Horace
Yankton
Yankton |
ND
SD
SD |
US
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005189940 |
Appl. No.: |
17/064437 |
Filed: |
October 6, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62911866 |
Oct 7, 2019 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D 29/041 20130101;
B62D 53/06 20130101; B62D 29/008 20130101; B60P 3/00 20130101; B62D
27/00 20130101; B60P 1/56 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60P 1/56 20060101
B60P001/56; B62D 53/06 20060101 B62D053/06; B60P 3/00 20060101
B60P003/00; B62D 27/00 20060101 B62D027/00; B62D 29/04 20060101
B62D029/04; B62D 29/00 20060101 B62D029/00 |
Claims
1. A semi-trailer for use with a tractor, comprising: a body
comprising a cargo deck, a front wall at a forward end of the cargo
deck, a rear wall at a rearward end of the cargo deck, a pair of
sidewalls, a first sidewall of the pair of sidewalls attached to a
side of the cargo deck opposite a side of the cargo deck to which a
second sidewall of the pair of sidewalls is attached, each of the
first sidewall and the second sidewall extending between the front
wall and the rear wall so that the first sidewall and the second
sidewall define a cargo volume above the cargo deck, and a pair of
bottom rails, a first bottom rail of the pair of bottom rails
attached to a bottom portion of the first sidewall and a second
bottom rail of the pair of bottom rails attached to a bottom
portion of the second sidewall; a first frame attached to the first
bottom rail and the second bottom rail beneath the cargo deck and
having a king pin extending downward therefrom; and a second frame
attached to the first bottom rail and the second bottom rail
rearward of the first bottom rail, wherein each sidewall comprises
an inner generally planar panel that faces the cargo area, an outer
generally planar panel that forms an outer surface of the trailer,
and a center panel disposed between and attached to the inner panel
and the outer panel that separates the inner panel from the outer
panel, and wherein the outer panel is attached to the center panel
by an adhesive so that an outer surface of the outer panel defines
an area opposite the center panel through which no fastener between
the outer panel and the center panel protrudes.
2. The semi-trailer as in claim 1, wherein the area opposite the
center panel comprises at least half of a longitudinal length of
the outer panel and at least half of a vertical height of the outer
panel.
3. The semi-trailer as in claim 1, wherein the front wall is
separate from the cargo deck.
4. The semi-trailer as in claim 1, wherein the rear wall is
separate from the cargo deck.
5. The semi-trailer as in claim 1, wherein the body comprises a top
rail attached to the top of the first sidewall, and a top rail
attached to the top of the second sidewall.
6. The semi-trailer as in claim 5, wherein, at each of the first
sidewall and the second sidewall, the area extends from the bottom
rail to the top rail.
7. The semi-trailer as in claim 6, wherein the body comprises a
front frame attached to the sidewalls of the pair of sidewalls and
the front wall and a rear frame attached to the sidewalls of the
pair of sidewalls and the rear wall, and wherein the area extends
from the front frame to the rear frame.
8. The semi-trailer as in claim 1, wherein the inner panel
comprises polypropylene.
9. The semi-trailer as in claim 1, wherein the outer panel
comprises polypropylene.
10. The semi-trailer as in claim 1, wherein the center panel
comprises a frame of hollow tubes.
11. The semi-trailer as in claim 10, wherein the hollow tubes are
formed from aluminum.
12. The semi-trailer as in claim 1, wherein the center panel
comprises a composite material formed of a honeycomb structure.
13. The semi-trailer as in claim 1, wherein the center panel
comprises a frame of hollow tubes and a material formed of a
honeycomb structure.
14. The semi-trailer as in claim 1, wherein the outer panel is
seamless within the area.
15. A trailer for use with a truck having a tractor, comprising: a
wheeled chassis having at least one wheeled axle at a rearward end
of the wheeled chassis and a support at a forward end of the
wheeled chassis; a body comprising a cargo deck supported by the
wheeled chassis, a front wall at the forward end, a rear wall at
the rearward end, and a pair of sidewalls attached to opposing
sides of the deck and extending between the front wall and the rear
wall so that at least the sidewalls define a cargo area above the
cargo deck, wherein the cargo deck comprises at least one hopper
having a funnel at a bottom portion thereof defining an opening
that opens to a space beneath the trailer, a frame attached to the
body at the opening, and a door attached to the frame movably
between a first position at which the door blocks the opening
between the cargo volume and the space beneath the trailer and a
second position in which at least part of the opening is open
between the cargo volume and the space beneath the trailer; and a
linear actuator comprising a rack and pinion operatively attached
between the door and the frame so that actuation of the linear
actuator moves the door between the first position and the second
position, wherein the linear actuator is disposed above a bottom
surface of the door and wherein the frame extends between the
opening and the rack and pinion.
16. The trailer as in claim 15, wherein the rack is disposed on a
side surface of the door and the pinion is attached to the body so
that the pinion operatively engages the rack.
17. A trailer for use with a truck having a tractor, comprising: a
wheeled chassis having at least one wheeled axle at a rearward end
of the wheeled chassis and a support at a forward end of the
wheeled chassis; and a body comprising a cargo deck supported by
the wheeled chassis, a front wall at the forward end, a rear wall
at the rearward end, and a pair of sidewalls attached to opposing
sides of the deck and extending between the front wall and the rear
wall so that at least the sidewalls define a cargo area above the
cargo deck, wherein the cargo deck comprises at least one hopper
having a funnel at a bottom portion thereof that defines and
surrounds an opening that opens to a space beneath the trailer, and
wherein the funnel is formed of a single piece of molded polymer,
and wherein the funnel has four generally planar sides, each side
defining two edges of said side that diverge from each other from
the opening to a top of the funnel.
18. The trailer as in claim 17, wherein, between each pair of
adjacent said generally planar sides, the funnel comprises a corner
section having two side edges, wherein a first side edge of the
corner section is also a said edge of a first said generally planar
side adjacent the corner section and a second side edge of the
corner section is also a said edge of a second said generally
planar side adjacent the corner section opposite the first said
generally planar side, so that the two side edges converge toward
each other from the opening to the top of the funnel.
19. The trailer as in claim 18, wherein a surface of each said
corner section facing an interior of the funnel is concave with
respect to the interior.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. provisional
patent application No. 62/911,866, filed Oct. 7, 2019, entitled
GRAIN TRAILER, the entire disclosure which is hereby incorporated
by reference herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Semi-trailer trucks are used to transport large quantities
of manufactured goods, produce, livestock, building materials,
etc., often over great distances. One type of semi-trailer,
typically used to carry grain, includes a wheeled chassis comprised
of a subframe, sometimes referred to as a "bogie," at the trailer's
rear that supports two axles with dual-wheel hubs so that the
subframe supports two tandem rows of four wheels each. The chassis
includes a pair of retractable legs disposed underneath and at the
forward end of the trailer. A subframe forward of the retractable
legs includes a downward-extending kingpin. A pair of aluminum
bottom rails extend from front to back along the trailer's entire
length and attach to the kingpin subframe, the retractable legs,
and the bogie. The kingpin is received by a fifth wheel of a
semi-truck tractor, as should be understood. The connection of the
kingpin subframe to the bottom rails transfers load applied by the
tractor, through the fifth wheel and the kingpin, to the trailer
body.
[0003] The trailer body has a front wall, a rear wall, and two
sidewalls that extend, on opposite sides of the trailer, from the
front wall to the rear wall. The side bottom rails discussed above
are attached to the bottom of the sidewalls, and a pair of
respective top rails are attached to the tops of the sidewalls and
also extend the trailer's length. Each of the front wall and rear
wall has a top rail and a bottom rail that attach to the side
bottom and top rails via corner posts at the trailer's four
corners.
[0004] A cargo deck disposed within the volume defined by the
sidewalls, the front wall, and the rear wall divides that volume
into two sub-volumes. At the trailer's forward end, a planar
aluminum or steel deck section is attached at one end to the front
wall top rail and the front ends of the side top rails and at its
opposite end to the two opposing side bottom rails at about
one-quarter of the trailer's length, thereby forming a slope from
the front top rail down to the trailer bottom. A similar sloped
deck portion attaches to the rear wall top rail and the rear ends
of the two side top rails and slopes down to attach to the side
bottom rails at about three-quarters of the trailer's length. At
the trailer's center, a vertical wall extends across the upper part
of the trailer's interior, attached to the side wall top rails and
extending about three-quarters deep into the trailer's interior.
The bottom of the vertical wall attaches to two sloped sections,
one extending downward from the center wall to the trailer bottom
in a forward direction toward the front of the trailer and the
other similarly extending downward from the center wall but toward
the trailer's rear. Each of the center sloped sections attaches to
the two sidewall bottom rails and extends across the trailer's
interior, as do the front and rear sloped sections. Accordingly,
the forward sloped section, the center wall, and the sloped section
extending forward from the center wall defines a forward sub-volume
of the trailer's interior, while the center wall, the sloped
section extending rearward from the center wall, and the rear
sloped section define a rear sub-volume.
[0005] As reflected above, a gap would be defined between the
forward sloped section, the sloped section extending forward from
the center wall, and the two sidewalls. A similar gap would exist
between the rear sloped section, the sloped section extending
rearwardly from the center wall, and the two sidewalls. The deck
further comprises, however, a pair of hoppers that fill those gaps.
Each hopper is a funnel-shaped structure having four sides, where
each side extends downward, at an acute angle, from a respective
one of the bottom edge of the sloped section (front or rear, as the
case may be), the sloped section extending from the wall, and the
two sidewalls. The hopper is formed by four metal sheets
corresponding to the four sides, and that are attached to each
other by weldment or screws. Some hoppers comprise two discrete
sheets attached to each other. The bottom of each hopper define a
four-sided hole. Since the cargo deck in each of the two
sub-volumes slopes toward the respective holes, grain held within
the cargo volume flows through the holes into a loading container
or other receptacle when the holes are open. To close the holes for
the trailer's transport, a frame is attached around each hole, and
a horizontally-slidable door is mounted on the frame. The door is
slidable between two positions, one blocking the hole and one
leaving the hole open to the space below the trailer. To open and
close the door, a rack is attached to the door, and a pinion is
attached to the frame, engaged with the rack. An operator rotates
the pinion by a handle extending from the pinion. The rack and
pinion extend beneath the door. In another trailer, the handle
drives a pulley located at the frame, above the level of the door,
that moves the door through a belt drive. In another trailer, the
door drive includes a linear chain drive.
[0006] A plurality of spaced-apart bars extends across the
trailer's open top, attached to and between the side top rails,
thereby stiffening the overall frame structure. Also attached to
the sidewall top rails and extending across the open trailer top is
a plurality of spaced-apart tarp bows. A rolled-up tarp is attached
to one of the two top rails, at the trailer's exterior. The tarp
can be unrolled and pulled over the tarp bows to the other side of
the trailer and attached thereto, thereby forming a roof to cover
the trailer contents. With the tarp retracted, grain can be loaded
into the two sub-volumes from above.
[0007] In some trailers, each sidewall was formed in a
sheet-and-post construction, comprising an aluminum inner panel, an
aluminum outer panel extending the entire length of the trailer on
the exterior, and a series of spaced-apart vertical posts disposed
between and separating the inner and outer panels, the posts being
attached to and extending between the sidewall top rail and bottom
rail. The inner and outer panels were attached to the vertical
posts by rivets or other fasteners that protruded through the inner
panel's and outer panel's exterior surfaces. In another form of
trailer, the sidewall was formed by a series of narrow aluminum
plates or extrusions disposed sequentially beside each other to
form the wall. Thus, the wall comprised a series of panels with
vertical seams between the panels. In another trailer, the sidewall
is formed of a series of sequential corrugated sheets welded to the
top and bottom rails.
SUMMARY
[0008] One or more embodiments of a trailer for use with a truck
having a tractor has a wheeled chassis having at least one wheeled
axle at a rearward end of the wheeled chassis and a support at a
forward end of the wheeled chassis, and a body. The body has a
cargo deck supported by the wheeled chassis, a front wall at the
forward end, a rear wall at the rearward end, and a pair of
sidewalls attached to opposing sides of the deck and extending
between the front wall and the rear wall so that at least the
sidewalls define a cargo volume above the cargo deck. Each sidewall
comprises an inner generally planar panel that faces the cargo
area, an outer generally planar panel that forms an outer surface
of the trailer, and a center panel disposed between and attached to
the inner panel and the outer panel that separates the inner panel
from the outer panel. The outer panel is attached to the center
panel by an adhesive so that an outer surface of the outer panel
defines an area opposite the center panel through which no fastener
between the outer panel and the center panel protrudes.
[0009] In another embodiment, a trailer for use with a truck having
a tractor has a wheeled chassis having at least one wheeled axle at
a rearward end of the wheeled chassis and a support at a forward
end of the wheeled chassis, and a body. The body has a cargo deck
supported by the wheeled chassis, a front wall at the forward end,
a rear wall at the rearward end, and a pair of sidewalls attached
to opposing sides of the deck and extending between the front wall
and the rear wall so that at least the sidewalls define a cargo
area above the cargo deck. The cargo deck comprises at least one
hopper having a funnel at a bottom portion thereof defining an
opening that opens to a space beneath the trailer. The hopper
comprises a door attached to the body movably between a first
position at which the door blocks the opening between the cargo
volume and the space beneath the trailer and a second position in
which at least part of the opening is open between the cargo volume
and the space beneath the trailer. The trailer includes a linear
actuator comprising a rack and pinion operatively attached between
the door and the body so that actuation of the linear actuator
moves the door between the first position and the second position.
The linear actuator is disposed above a bottom surface of the
door.
[0010] In a further embodiment, a trailer for use with a truck
having a tractor has a wheeled chassis having at least one wheeled
axle at a rearward end of the wheeled chassis and a support at a
forward end of the wheeled chassis, and a body. The body comprises
a cargo deck supported by the wheeled chassis, a front wall at the
forward end, a rearward wall at the rearward end, and a pair of
sidewalls attached to opposing sides of the deck and extending
between the front wall and the rear wall so that at least the
sidewalls define a cargo area above the cargo deck. The cargo deck
comprises at least one hopper having a funnel at a bottom portion
thereof that defines and surrounds an opening that opens through a
space beneath the trailer. The funnel is formed of a single piece
of molded polymer.
[0011] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more
embodiments of the invention and, together with the description,
serve to explain the principles of the disclosure herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The disclosure herein refers to the accompanying drawings,
in which some, but not all, embodiments of the disclosure are
shown. Indeed, the subject matter of this disclosure may be
embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as
limited to the embodiments set forth herein.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a grain trailer according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the grain trailer as in FIG.
1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the grain trailer as in
FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a partial bottom view of the grain trailer as in
FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a partial top view of the grain trailer as in FIG.
1;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a partial exploded view of the grain trailer as in
FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a partial plan view, in section, of the grain
trailer as in FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a partial top perspective view of the grain
trailer as in FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of a tractor for use with
the grain trailer as in FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a hopper and door assembly
for use with the grain trailer as in FIG. 1;
[0023] FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a slider frame as shown in
FIG. 10;
[0024] FIG. 12 is a perspective assembled view of the slider frame
as in FIG. 11;
[0025] FIG. 13 is a partial plan view of the slider frame as in
FIG. 10;
[0026] FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view of the hopper and door
assembly of FIG. 10;
[0027] FIG. 15 is a partial side view of the hopper and door
assembly of FIG. 10;
[0028] FIG. 16 is an exploded view of a door panel as in FIG.
10;
[0029] FIG. 17 is a perspective, assembled view of the door panel
as in FIG. 10;
[0030] FIG. 18 is an exploded view of a sidewall as shown in FIGS.
1 and 6;
[0031] FIG. 19 is a section view of an aluminum panel bar and
sidewall panels as shown in FIG. 18;
[0032] FIG. 20 is a partial section view of a sidewall and top rail
as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6; and
[0033] FIG. 21 is a partial section view of a sidewall and bottom
rail as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.
[0034] Repeat use of reference characters in the present
specification and drawings is intended to represent same or
analogous features or elements according to the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] Reference will now be made in detail to present embodiments
of the disclosure, one or more examples of which are illustrated in
the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of
explanation of the disclosure, not limitation of the disclosure. In
fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
modifications and variations can be made in the present disclosure
without departing from the scope or spirit thereof. For instance,
any number of features illustrated or described as part of one
embodiment may be used on another embodiment, in any combination,
to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the
present disclosure covers such modifications and variations as come
within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
[0036] It should be understood that terms of orientation, e.g.
"forward," "front," "rearward," "rear," "upper," "lower," and
similar terms as used herein are intended to refer to relative
orientation of components of the devices described herein with
respect to each other under an assumption of consistent point of
reference but do not require any specific orientation of the
overall system. Thus, for example, the discussion herein may refer
to a "forward" or "front" end of a semi-trailer, referring to a
direction toward the end of the trailer that has the kingpin that
is received by a fifth wheel at the "rearward" or "rear" end of a
tractor, or a "rearward" end of the trailer, referring to a
direction toward the trailer's rear, at which the rear wall is
disposed and at which the bogie is attached. The present discussion
may also refer to "upper" and/or "lower" surfaces of the trailer
and/or its components, generally with regard to the trailer's
orientation as shown in FIG. 1. Such terms may be used in the
present disclosure and claims and will be understood to refer to a
relative orientation but not to an orientation of the trailer with
respect to an external frame of reference.
[0037] Further, either of the terms "or" and "one of ______ and
______," as used in this disclosure and/or the appended claims, is
intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or."
That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from the context,
either of the phrases "X employs A or B" and "X employs one of A
and B" is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive
permutations. That is, either phrase is satisfied by any of the
following instances: X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A
and B, regardless whether the phrases "at least one of A or B" or
"at least one of A and B" are otherwise utilized in the
specification or claims. In addition, the articles "a" and "an," as
used in this application and the appended claims, should generally
be construed to mean "one or more" unless specified otherwise or
clear from the context to be directed to a singular form.
Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take
at least the meanings explicitly associated with them herein,
unless the context dictates otherwise. The meanings identified
below do not necessarily limit the terms, but merely provide
illustrative examples for the terms. The meaning of "a," "an," and
"the" may include plural references, and the meaning of "in" may
include "in" and "on." The phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an
embodiment," or similar phrase, as used herein do not necessarily
refer to the same embodiment, although they may.
[0038] Referring to FIGS. 1-8, a semi-trailer, for example for use
in hauling grain, may include a wheeled chassis 12 comprised of an
axle subframe 14, a pair of retractable legs 16, and a kingpin
subframe 18. Axle subframe 14, sometimes described as a "bogie,"
may have a pair of tandem axles 20 with hubs 22 at each end
thereof, each supporting two wheels 24. A kingpin 26 may extend
downward from kingpin subframe 18 for engagement with a fifth wheel
28 of a tractor 30 (FIG. 9) to thereby operatively connect trailer
10 with tractor 30 so that, assuming retraction of retractable legs
16, tractor 30 may pull trailer 10.
[0039] Trailer 10 may include four vertical walls--a front wall 32,
two opposing sidewalls 34, and a rear wall 36. A respective
aluminum bottom rail 38 may be attached to and extend the entire
length of each sidewall 34. A respective top rail 40 may be
attached to and extend the entire length of the upper edge of each
sidewall 34. Similarly, a bottom rail 42 may be attached to and
extend along the entire bottom length of front wall 32, while a top
rail 44 may be attached to and extend the entire length of the top
edge of front wall 32. A bottom rail 46 may be attached to and
extend the entire length of the bottom of rear wall 36, while a top
rail 48 may be attached to and extend the entire length of rear
wall 36. Corner posts 50 may be disposed vertically at each corner
of the trailer. Each corner post may be attached to two trailer
walls that meet at the respective corner posts orthogonally to each
other. Each corner post may also be attached to and thereby connect
a pair of orthogonally-aligned top rails and a pair of
orthogonally-aligned bottom rails that respectively meet at the
corner post. A tail gate light panel 52 may attach to rear bottom
rail 46.
[0040] Kingpin subframe 18 may attach to front bottom rail 42 and
to each of the two side bottom rails 38. Axle subframe 14 may
attach to rear bottom rail 46 and the two side bottom rails 38.
[0041] Within the interior trailer volume defined by walls 32, 34
and 36, grain trailer 10 may define two sub-volumes 54 and 56 in
which the trailer may store grain during transport. Front
sub-volume 54 may be defined on its sides by the opposing sidewalls
34, at its rear by a center wall section 58, and otherwise by a
cargo deck comprised of a forward sloped section 60, a forward
center sloped section 62, and a forward hopper 64. Rear sub-volume
56 may also be defined on its sides by opposing sidewalls 34, at
its front by center wall section 58, and otherwise by the cargo
deck, specifically rear sloped section 66, rear center sloped
section 68 and rear hopper 70. While the presently-described
examples of a grain trailer illustrate front and rear walls 32 and
36 that are distinct and offset from the cargo deck, it should be
understood that these distinct wall structures can be omitted and
that in such trailers, the front and rear walls may be embodied by
the structure of the sloped sections 60 and 66.
[0042] Forward sloped section 60 may be an upper, generally planar
sheet glass-filled polypropylene sheet 72 and a bottom formed
aluminum structure 74. Structure 74 may comprise a plurality of
generally C-shaped or generally Z-shaped aluminum cross members 75
beneath the polypropylene top sheet and attached to side rails 78.
An aluminum top flange 76 may be attached to the top and bottom
sections 72 and 74 and to front wall top rail 44. A pair of
aluminum side rails 78 may be attached to the upper and/or lower
sections 72 and 74, attaching also at their upper ends to top rail
40 and at their lower ends to sidewall bottom rails 38. A pair of
shims 80 may be disposed between side rails 78 and the inner
surfaces of walls 34 to seal a gap between side rails 78 and
sidewalls 34. Shims 80 may be formed by high molecular weight
polyethylene and may be attached to the sidewalls by huck bolts or
other suitable fasteners that extend into the sidewall at the
sidewall's inner panel but do not protrude through the wall's outer
panel. Rear sloped section 66 may have a similar structure to, and
be the mirror image of, forward slopes section 60 and is,
therefore, not further discussed herein.
[0043] A cap rail 82 may attach to the top of center wall section
58 to provide structure to the center wall and to attach the center
wall to the top rails through an attachment to a top rail cross bar
41. The center wall may be formed from a glass-filled
polypropylene, similar to the front and rear sloped sections 60 and
66. Center wall 58 may attach to the respective sidewalls 34
through opposing side strips 84 (only one of which is shown in FIG.
6). Each of forward and rear center sloped sections 62 and 68 may
be formed of a generally planar glass-filled polypropylene sheet
and a lower section comprising a plurality of formed aluminum ribs
underneath to support the upper surface. The upper sheet and lower
section may be attached to the center wall via screws or rivets and
aluminum connecting strips. At the sides of each center sloped
section, respective V-shaped side rails 86 may be attached thereto.
Side rails 86 may attach, for example by rivets or screws, to
respective bottom rails 38 through shims 88.
[0044] A plurality of spaced apart top rail support bars 41 may
attach to the top rails 40 of opposing sidewalls 34 so that the top
rail support bars extend across the open top of the trailer body
and provide rigidity support to the walls. Also attached to the top
rails and extending across the open top may be a plurality of tarp
bows 43. Five of the nine tarp bows may attach to the top rails at
the same positions as respective ones of the five top rail support
bars 41 so that the five tarp bows extend directly above the
respective top rail support bars. The tarp bows support a
retractable tarp 45 (seen in its retracted, rolled up state on one
side of the trailer in FIG. 1). When the tarp is unrolled and
extended over the top of the trailer, it may be supported by the
tarp bows to provide a roof structure. With the tarp retracted, the
spacings between the tarp bows and between the top rail support
bars may allow an input chute to pour grain into the two cargo
sub-volumes.
[0045] Referring to FIG. 10, and also to FIGS. 3-5, 7, and 8, each
of hoppers 64 and 70 may comprise a funnel-shaped unitary piece 90
of rotationally molded high density polyethylene or other suitable
polymer, e.g. medium density polyethylene, linear low density
polyethylene, or cross-link polyethylene, that may be defined by
four generally planar triangular-shaped sections 92 extending
downward from the rectangular arrangement of upper edges 94 to
respective points at the sides of a correspondingly rectangular
opening 96 at the funnel's bottom. A respective generally
triangular, but curved, corner section 98 may extend between each
adjacent pair of triangular sections 92 and bound a respective
corner of opening 96. Also bounding hole 96, the hopper may include
four downwardly-extending flanges 100 connected by curved corners
101. Flanges 100 may extend downward and into the inside of a
perimeter frame defined by a slider frame 106 that receives a door
panel 108 that moves with respect to slider frame 106, as discussed
below.
[0046] Upper funnel edges 94 may bend away and downward from their
respective triangle-shaped sections 92 to thereby provide
attachment surfaces for angled aluminum support brackets 104. One
flange of each bracket 104 may attach to a respective funnel edge
94, while the other side of flange 104 may attach to a
corresponding bottom rail 38, top surface 72 of a sloped section
60/66, or a top surface of a center sloped section 62 or 68,
thereby securing the hoppers to the trailer body so that they form
a part of the cargo deck.
[0047] Where each hopper funnel 90 is made of a unitary piece of a
molded polymer material so that the funnel is not formed in
discrete sections joined together by weldment or other fasteners,
the funnel may therefore have no joints, seams, or fastener heads
at the surface of the funnel that holds grain. This may be true
even at the creases defined between the various sections of the
funnel described herein. As a result, the funnel may not define, or
minimize, structure on the funnel's grain-holding surface that
could become places of attachment for grain particles. This may
facilitate both the flow of grain through the funnel and cleaning
of the funnel.
[0048] Referring to FIGS. 10, 11, and 12, again with reference to
FIGS. 3-5, 7, and 8, hopper door slider frame 106 may include a
center frame that attaches to and surrounds flanges 100 of funnel
90 and that is attached thereto by suitable attachment mechanisms,
such as bolts or screws that pass through the flanges and the
slider frame's center frame. The center frame may be comprised of
four linear frame members 110, 112, 114, and 116. Each frame member
may have an elongated, generally planar, vertical portion that
seats against an outer surface of a corresponding funnel opening
flange 100, a top flange that extends ninety degrees horizontally
from the main vertical portion, and an outer vertical flange that
extends downward from the horizontal top flange (on the side of the
top flange opposite the main vertical portion) parallel to the main
vertical portion, thereby strengthening the frame member. Angle
brackets 118 may abut adjacent linear frame members 110/116,
116/114, 112/114, and 112/110, and rivets, screws or bolts may
extend through the angle brackets to attach the frame members to
each other through the brackets. Also securing and strengthening
the center frame, four corner brackets 120 may attach to adjacent
top flanges of the frame members.
[0049] On each of the four sides of the center frame, an aluminum
bracket 122 may attach to the outer surface of the main vertical
portion of respective linear frame members 110, 112, 114, and 116.
Attached to each aluminum brush bracket may be a brush 124 having
downwardly-extending nylon bristles. The bristles may engage the
edges of a door section of door panel 108 and inhibit the escape of
grain between the upper door surface and the lower edges of funnel
flanges 100. A mud flap 126 may attach to an outer
downward-extending flange 128 of forward linear frame member 112 to
inhibit fouling of the door mechanism, and of the intersection of
the door and the funnel opening, from dirt and debris brought up
from the roadway as the trailer moves in the forward direction.
[0050] Side linear frame members 110 and 114 may extend rearward
beyond rear linear frame member 116. Aft of rear linear frame
member 116, a hollow shaft 130 may extend between frame members 110
and 114 to abut bushings 132 and 134 that are fixed to the inner
surfaces of rails 114 and 110, respectively. Each bushing may have
a central through-bore through which extends a freely rotatable
short shaft 136 and 138, respectively. Each short shaft 136 and 138
may be rotationally fixed to hollow shaft 130 by a respective pin
140 that extends through the ends of both the short shaft and the
hollow shaft, where the short shaft is received within the open end
of the hollow shaft. Short shafts 136 and 138 may extend through
holes in the main vertical portions and the outer vertical flanges
146 and 148 of frame members 114 and 110 and then through holes of
respective outer bushings 142 and 144 that are fixed to frame
members 114 and 110, respectively). Each short shaft may be
rotationally fixed to a pinion gear (not shown in FIG. 11) that is
disposed on the short shaft between the main vertical portion and
the outer vertical flange 146 or 148 of linear frame member 114 or
110, as the case may be. For example, the short shaft may be formed
integrally with the machined/hobbed pinion gear.
[0051] FIG. 13 illustrates an example positioning of a pinion gear
150 on a short shaft 138 within the confines of linear frame member
110, as described above. A similar pinion gear, in a mirror-image
arrangement, may be disposed on short shaft 136 within the confines
of linear frame member 114. Referring also to FIG. 14, the outer
end of short shaft 138 may be fixed, e.g. by a splined and/or
pinned engagement, to one operative end of a universal joint 152.
The other end of the universal joint may be rotationally fixed to a
hand crank shaft 154. Because the universal joint may rotationally
fix the hand crank to short shaft 138, which may be, in turn,
rotationally fixed to hollow shaft 130, the other short shaft
(136), and the two gears 150 as described above, rotation of hand
crank 156 may simultaneously rotate the two gears 150. Shaft 154
may extend through a bracket 158 attached to a side bottom rail 38
(FIG. 6) and into a keyed opening of handle 156. A sprocket 160 may
be rotationally fixed to handle 156. A Pawl 162 may be pivotally
attached to bracket 158 so that engagement of the pawl tooth into
the teeth of sprocket 160 locks the rotationally position of the
gears thereby, as evident from the discussion herein, locking door
panel 108 (FIG. 10) in its position with respect to the slider
frame.
[0052] Referring again to FIGS. 11 and 12, a pair of upper and
lower slider blocks 164 and 166 may be attached to the main
vertical portion of side rail 110 between the main vertical portion
and outer vertical flange 148 at the rearward end of the linear
frame member. A mirror-image arrangement of slider blocks 164 and
166 may be provided at a comparable position on rail 114. A gap may
be provided between blocks 164 and 166 that is sufficient to
receive a flange of door panel 108 (FIG. 10), as described below,
to thereby stabilize the door panel's position with respect to the
slider frame and to inhibit pivoting movement of the door panel
with respect to the slider frame by inhibiting pivotal movement of
the door panel with respect to the slider frame about gears 150
(FIG. 13). A similar slider block 168 may be attached to the main
vertical portion of linear frame member 110, again at the main
vertical portion of the frame member and outward vertical flange
148, slightly forward of gear 150 (FIG. 13). Slider block 168 may
provide a lower stop to prevent downward rotation of door panel 108
(FIG. 10) about the gear. A similar, mirror-image arrangement of a
lower slider block 168 is provided on linear frame member 114. A
door frame cross member 170 may attach to the tops of, and connect,
the ends of linear frame members 110 and 114.
[0053] Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, and with reference to FIG. 10,
hopper door panel 108 may include a generally planar aluminum door
plate 172. Door plate 172 may be generally rectangular in shape and
include down-turned flanges 171 extending from each linear edge of
the plate's main planar portion. Two side rails 174 and 176 may
include generally planar vertical main sections that abut and
attach (e.g. by rivets, screws, or other suitable fastening
mechanisms) to the two side downward-turned flanges 171 on opposite
sides of door plate 172. The bottom edges of side rails 174 and 176
may be approximately flush with the bottom edges of the side
flanges 171. The main vertical portions of rails 174 and 176,
however, may be taller than are the side flanges 171, with the
result that horizontally-turned top flanges 178 and 180 at the tops
of the main vertical portions of rails 174 and 176 are spaced apart
from and above the generally planar surface of door plate 172, as
seen in FIG. 17. A pair of toothed rack brackets 182 and 184 may be
generally rectangular in shape, e.g. as shown in FIG. 16, each with
a respective open slot 186 and 188 extending therethrough and
extending the majority of the length of door plate 172. Each
bracket may be attached to the main vertical portion of a
corresponding side rail 174 and 176 so that the bottom of each
bracket's open slot 186 or 188 is approximately flush with rail top
flanges 178 and 180. Thus, slots 186 and 188 may extend above top
flanges 180 and 178. As discussed below, slots 186 and 188 may
receive respective gears 150 (FIG. 13). Because the gears, in these
examples, are disposed aft of the central frame opening defined by
linear frame members 110, 112, 114, and 116 of slider frame 106
(FIG. 11), brackets 182 and 184 are shifted aft with respect to
door plate 172 by a corresponding distance. Top bars 190 and 192 of
brackets 184 and 182 may define the upper boundaries of slots 188
and 186, respectively. The lower edge of each of bars 190 and 192,
i.e. the surface facing downward toward slots 188 and 186, may
define respective toothed rack surfaces 194 and 196 that extend the
entire length of slots 188 and 186 and that engage the teeth of a
respective gear 150 (FIG. 13). An aluminum brace 198 may be
attached to and extend across the front ends of rails 174 and 176.
A mud flap 200 may be disposed between brace 198 and the fronts of
rails 174 and 176. Aluminum bars 202 may be fixedly mounted flush
against the underside of door plate 172 to provide structural
support to the door plate. Bars 202 may be tubes with forty-five
degree angled ends, bolted at those ends to door plate 172.
[0054] In operation, and referring to FIGS. 10-17, side rails 174
and 176 of door panel 108 extend upward to the bottom edges of
outer flanges 146 and 148 of linear frame members 114 and 110,
respectively, so that horizontally-turned top flanges 178 and 180
extend to and are received between respective pairs of upper and
lower slider blocks 164/166 on linear frame members 114 and 110 and
upon the upper surfaces of respective slider blocks 168 on linear
frame members 114 and 110. Furthermore, gears 150 (FIG. 13) may
extend into respective slots 188 and 186 of the toothed rack
brackets 184 and 182 that extend upward from flanges 178 and 180
into the volume between the main vertical portions of linear frame
members 114 and 110 and vertical flanges 146 and 148, as indicated
in FIG. 14. The teeth of each of the two pinion gears 150 may
operatively engage the downward-facing teeth 194 and 196 of
brackets 184 and 182, respectively. Thus, the operator's rotation
of handle 156, thereby causing the rotation of pinion gears 150,
may actuate the linear actuator formed by the pinion gears and the
racks to thereby move the door plate horizontally with respect to
opening 96 in the hopper funnel as framed by slider frame 106. The
door can move between two positions, one in which door plate 172 is
positioned in slider frame 106 so that the door plate completely
blocks opening 96, and an opposite position in which the door plate
is moved completely away from opening 96 so that opening 96
communicates its cargo sub-volume with the space beneath the
trailer and allows the sub-volume's contents of grain to flow
through hole 96 into that space. As is apparent from the Figures,
the linear actuator's position above door plate 172 means that the
linear actuator is not disposed below the door, where it could be
to a greater degree exposed to damage during the trailer's
operation.
[0055] Referring to FIG. 18, and with reference to FIG. 6, each of
the two opposing sidewalls 34 may be comprised of an inner
polypropylene panel 204 and an outer polypropylene panel 206. Each
panel 204 and 206 may be continuous, in that each is formed of a
single, continuous piece of polypropylene, undivided into discrete
sections. Each polypropylene sheet may be formed of a glass filled
polypropylene having glass fibers aligned in layers that are
disposed in alternatingly ninety degree offset orientations with
respect to adjacent layers or plies within the sheet, and including
ultraviolet resistance, e.g. as sold by Impact Guard LLC of
Leetsdale, Pa. under the IG SERIES identifier. Such material may
also be used for other polypropylene sheets as discussed herein. It
will be understood in view of the present disclosure that other
suitable materials, for example including fiberglass materials sold
under the GOLD and FILON identifiers by Crane Composites, Inc. of
Channahon, Ill., or sold under the identifier LAMILUX 1000 by
Lamilux Heinrich Strunz Holding GmbH Co. KG of Rehau, Germany, or
under the "80" identifier by Ridge Corporation of Pataskala, Ohio,
may be used with or instead of the IG SERIES material.
[0056] A center panel 208 may be comprised of a plurality of
elongated vertically-oriented hollow aluminum tubes 210 and a
plurality of elongated, hollow tubes 212 that extend between top
and bottom ends of adjacent vertical tubes at an acute angle with
respect to horizontal. Each tube 210 and 212 may be formed of
6061-T6 or other suitable grade of aluminum and may be generally
rectangular in cross-sectional shape, considered in a plane normal
to the tube's elongation axis. FIG. 19 illustrates an example of
such a generally rectangular cross-section of each tube 210 or 212,
where each tube has a hollow center and where the two sides 214
that face and abut panels 204 (approximately 0.05 inches thick) and
206 (approximately 0.05 inches thick) are thicker (approximately
0.18 inches) than sides 216 (approximately 0.09 inches) that face
the interior of panel 208. The thickness of the bars, in the
direction between panels 204 and 206, may be approximately 2.2
inches.
[0057] At the top of each bar 210 and 212, the bar may be attached
to the top rail 40 to which the sidewall 34 is attached, by a huck
bolt that passes through and three panels 204, 206, and 208.
Similarly, at the bottom of each aluminum bar 210 and 212, the bar
may attach to the bottom rail 38 of the corresponding sidewall 34
by respective huck bolts (or other suitable fasteners, such as
bolt/nut systems) that pass entirely through the sidewall and the
bottom rail.
[0058] Between each adjacent pair of vertical and horizontal
aluminum bars 210 and 212 may be disposed a triangularly-shaped
composite sub-panel 218. Each sub-panel 218 may be a polypropylene
honeycomb composite with an internal cell structure comprised of
polypropylene tubes laminated between two layers of polyester
nonwoven scrim with an adhesive layer between each scrim layer and
the polypropylene tube honeycomb core. The tubes may be at a
density of three to four pounds per cubic foot, with a laminated
thickness of approximately 2.2 inches. The material density may be
approximately four pounds per cubic foot. The horizontal edge of
each triangular sub-panel may be approximately forty-eight inches,
with a vertical edge of approximately fifty-four inches. Thus, the
vertical aluminum bars 210 may be approximately fifty-four inches
in length, whereas angled tubes 212 may be approximately
seventy-two and one-quarter inches in length. It will be
understood, however, that such dimensions may vary with variations
in trailer configuration, particularly with respect to trailer
height. A honeycomb composite as described herein can be obtained
from Plascore, Inc. of Zealand, Mich. It will be understood, in
view of the present disclosure, that other structures, e.g. foams,
may be used for the sub-panels instead of the composite honeycomb
structure discussed herein.
[0059] The ends of the angled bars 212 attach at the attachment
positions of adjacent vertical bars 210 to the top and bottom
rails, so that the arrangement of bars 210 and 212 forms a truss
that provides strength to the sidewall that maintains the wall's
rigidity when the trailer is loaded with grain. Aluminum bars 210
and 212 may provide the majority of the strength of sidewall 34 in
the outward direction, when the cargo sub-volumes are full of
grain. The triangularly-shaped sub-panels, however, may support
polypropylene inner and outer panels 204 and 206 to resist the
outwardly-directed forces of the load. In that regard, the
sub-panels demonstrate advantageous compressive strength but do so
at a relatively low weight over the trailer's length. That is, the
sub-panels have an advantageous compressive force-to-weight
ratio.
[0060] Each panel 204 and 206 may be attached to center panel 208
by an adhesive that is applied across the length of the sidewall
and from top to bottom, thereby avoiding the need for rivets, bolts
or other fasteners that would otherwise extend through the outer
(with respect to center panel 208) surfaces of panels 204 and 206.
This results in smooth and continuous (where the panels 204 and 206
are each made as a single, unitary piece) inner and outer surfaces
of the trailer wall at inner panel 204 and outer panel 206. In some
embodiments, the absence of protruding fasteners exists entirely
from the sidewall bottom rail to the sidewall top rail and entirely
between vertical corner post 50 (FIG. 6). In other embodiments, a
smaller area of each panel surface is without protruding fasteners,
for example up to one quarter, one half, or three quarters of the
height of each inner and outer surface of the sidewall and up to
one quarter, one half or three quarters of the width of each inner
and outer surface of the sidewall. The one piece, continuous
construction of each panel 204 and 206 may result in a smooth
surface extending over the entirety of the sidewall inner and outer
panels facing into the cargo area and the trailer's exterior from
the bottom rail to the top rail and from front corner post to rear
corner post. This may facilitate cleaning of the inner and outer
surfaces of sidewall 34 in that the absence of protruding fasteners
may minimize the surface at which grain particles may become
wedged. The continuous, smooth outer surface of the single-piece
outer panel 206 may also facilitate the application of paint or
wrapping material to provide a desired aesthetic feature to the
trailer. It will be appreciated that the surfaces of panels 204 and
206 may have a certain degree of roughness to the touch (e.g.
because of an embossed surface) but that such surfaces are
considered smooth within the meaning of the present disclosure
because they do not exhibit surface variation at the level of rivet
or other fastener head protrusions or inter-panel seams. An
adhesive suitable for attachment of panels 204 and 206 to central
panel 208 is provided under the identifier SOLFRE 3106 by Chemique
Adhesives, Inc. of Kennesaw, Ga. This adhesive is a two-component
polyurethane adhesive, though it should be understood that other
adhesives may be used, e.g. one-part, other two-part, or hot melt
adhesives, or other polymer adhesives or spray-on adhesives.
[0061] As noted above, fasteners may be used along the length of
the bottom rail and top rail to secure each sidewall 34 through the
aluminum bars 210 and 212 and through inner and outer panels 204
and 206. FIG. 20, for example, illustrates a top end of an example
sidewall 34 received between a bottom flange of a top rail 40 that
faces the trailer's exterior and an inner attachment flange 220. A
bolt 222 having a bolt head 224 may extend through top rail inner
attachment flange 220, the bottom flange of top rail 40, panels 204
and 206, and an aluminum bar 210 or 212 (not shown). Similarly,
referring to FIG. 21, a bottom portion of an example sidewall 34 is
received between an upper outer flange of a bottom rail 38 and a
bottom rail inner attachment flange 226. A bolt 228 may extend
entirely through upper flange of top rail 38, bottom rail inner
attachment flange 226, panels 204 and 206, and an aluminum bar 210
or 212 (not shown). Bolt heads 224 and 230 may protrude from the
top rail and bottom rail, respectively, at the trailer's exterior.
Sidewalls 34 are not fastened, in this example, through sub-panels
218. It will be noted that the example bottom rail 38 defines an
open space facing towards the trailer's exterior. As indicated in
FIG. 1, this space may secure a bottom panel 234 on which are
disposed light reflective strips or other features.
[0062] While one or more embodiments of the disclosure are
described herein, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the
art that various modifications and variations can be made in such
embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of this
disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that the elements
of one embodiment may be combined with another embodiment to create
a still further embodiment. It is intended that the present
disclosure cover such modifications and variations as come within
the scope and spirit of the disclosure, the appended claims, and
their equivalents.
* * * * *